Ancelotti defines Neymar’s attacking and central positioning for the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Neymar overcame a grade 2 injury to his right calf and, for the first time in the World Cup, trained fully with the rest of the squad yesterday. There is a possibility that the athlete is already available and is listed for the match against Scotland, which will take place next Wednesday. The final decision on its use now rests with coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Coach Ancelotti does not see the current version of Neymar as a traditional winger, playing on the flanks of the field. With a more rhythmic rhythm and a more strategic posture, the player had been playing the role of a classic number 10 at Santos, however, Brazil’s tactical formation under the Italian’s command does not foresee the use of a fixed midfielder.
Given this scenario, Ancelotti projects Neymar to occupy a more central position in the team’s attack during the World Cup. In this context, he can act as the most advanced player in the offensive sector or as a false 9, retreating to build plays and opening the way for Vinicius Júnior’s attacks on the right wing and another attacker on the opposite side. This strategic approach allows for greater fluidity up front and exploits Neymar’s game vision and finishing ability, optimizing the performance of the team’s offensive sector.
“Neymar has to play on the inside of the field, he can’t play on the outside. He won’t play as a winger, he will play on the inside of the field, as a striker or second striker. That’s the position that Vinicius and Raphinha played today. (Neymar will play) in one of those positions”, declared Ancelotti on May 31, after the preparatory friendly against Panama, held at Maracanã.
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Neymar’s chances of entering the starting lineup may have increased considerably, given that Raphinha left the field injured in the 3-0 victory over Haiti last Friday, in Philadelphia. The Barcelona striker, whose expected return is only for the knockout stage of the World Cup, occupied one of the two positions that Ancelotti considers for the Brazilian star.
Vinicius Júnior, the team’s main star at this World Cup, has his place guaranteed and will not be removed from the team under any circumstances. However, the number 7 could be moved to play more open on the left, freeing up space for Neymar, centralized in the role played by Igor Thiago in the debut against Morocco and by Matheus Cunha in the match against Haiti.
However, the current perspective does not focus on Neymar’s fight for a place in the national team’s starting eleven.
Neymar has maintained an intense work routine, with two to three periods of daily activities during the World Cup, combining injury treatment with physical exercises involving strength, explosiveness and resistance. The technical committee, however, seeks to avoid a new injury at all costs; For this reason, if you are selected on Wednesday, your participation will only be for a few minutes.
The clash between Brazil and Scotland is scheduled for next Wednesday, at 7pm (Brasília time), and will take place in the city of Miami.
